When the DC Comics event DC K.O. was promoted, comic book fans assumed it was going to be just a tournament of fights. Even after the creators stated that it would be more, it seemed unbelievable. As the main series and tie-ins continued, it was clear that it wasn’t just about the strongest, toughest, or most powerful.
During the Zatanna versus Harley Quinn and Cyborg versus Swamp Thing battles, both Harley and Swamp Thing understood the consequences and made sure their opponents won. Before they lost, they gave their friends words of encouragement as they moved on to the next round. Meanwhile, Aquaman dominated Hawkman, and Wonder Woman (fighting Lobo) and Superman (battling Captain Atom) won in the last round after hard-fought matches.
Now, if anyone had to guess who would win it all, they’d pick Superman. He’s one of the greatest superheroes ever (if not the greatest). And it's not just because of his god-like powers. He has the ability to make the right call for everyone by letting everyone make their own choices. In this case, that means leaving Earth the way it is after having the chance to change everything. To him, it’s morally right to let people make their own mistakes and hopefully learn from them.
Part of my job as a writer is to speculate about things seen from creators. In this case, a post, the great Joshua Williamson says that Superman will go missing after DC K.O. Taking his place will be Superboy-Prime (I told you he returned for a reason). The speculative part is that the Man of Steel will be missing as a consequence of his winning the tournament and fixing the world.
Actions always have consequences, especially in comics. When it comes to things like magic and world-altering events, you can double the ramifications. Having the power to change everything means that you’ll likely have to sacrifice everything. For Kal-El, that could mean leaving his family so they, and the rest of the world, can survive.
Of course, this could end with any number of people winning, but one person comes to mind when you factor everything together. That person is Lex Luthor.
Lex Luthor?!
During DC K.O. No. 2, Lex told Superman he hates him because he believes Kal-El does too little. Lex says that the Heart of Darkseid spoke to him and showed him a world built in his image. He assumed that the heart did the same for Supes and that Clark would leave the world as it was. That’s something Lex can’t let happen.
You’re wondering what all of that has to do with Lex Luthor winning. Well, it’s simple. If Lex wins, he will see that Superman was right and that the world should remain as it is. However, someone as evil and self-absorbed as he would want his nemesis to see his new world right before taking him out. So, what if Lex removes Kal-El's physical form and leaves him somewhere that he can see, but not interact? That's the kind of torture Lex Luthor would cherish and leave comic book fans anticipating his return.
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